Saturday, 21 February 2015

While UFO sightings may seem to be a common thing (whatever
your view on their legitimacy) in our generation, this new book takes a look at
the spate of recorded instances from just before the turn of the century up to
the end of the First World War.

This was a time, of course, when man was actually taking to
the skies very successfully. While the late Victorians had stories of hot air
balloons and airships, the war brought winged fighting machines. And as seeing things
in the sky were a new experience, could it be that this set off fertile
imaginations. Ancient man had to try to understand the Sun and the stars, but
these new-fangled inventions could prove to be too much for the average person
to comprehend at the time.

So this book sets out to discuss the recorded instances of ‘sightings’,
keeping them well within context of the time. Detailing the events in as much
first-hand accounts as possible, it’s a surprisingly eye-opening read. So much
so that it could even be fascinating to those with an interest in war history. And
while it’s clear the author is a firm believer in flying saucers – or whatever
you’d call them – the text is very much fact-based, and far from preachy or condescending.

Unlike the previous book of Watson’s that I reviewed, The
Haynes UFO Investigations Manual, this work is more for those serious about
sightings and the phenomena. Yes, it’s a dense, almost clinical read, but that’s
not to say it’s not a riveting one. The only complaint is one for which there
is no answer – the lack of photographic evidence from the time – so it’s
certainly not a fault of the book. There are illustrations – of varying
quality, but interesting – but it’s the insightful text which keeps you reading
page after page.

While I’m not sure it would make a believer out of you, it
certainly is food for thought.